A local arbitrary code execution vulnerability has been discovered in OpenVPN Connect versions 3. to 3.4.3 (Windows) and versions 3. to 3.4.7 (macOS). The root cause of this vulnerability is the misconfiguration of the Node.js framework. This vulnerability allows a local user to execute arbitrary code within the Node.js process context by leveraging the ELECTRON_RUN_AS_NODE environment variable. In this post, we'll provide information about the vulnerability, including a code snippet, links to the original references, and exploit details.

Summary

CVE-2023-7245 is a critical security issue affecting OpenVPN Connect, a popular VPN client for securing and encrypting network connections. Due to the misconfiguration of the Node.js framework in the affected versions, a local user can execute arbitrary code within the Node.js process context via the ELECTRON_RUN_AS_NODE environment variable. This vulnerability can result in a local attacker gaining unauthorized permissions and potentially compromising the user's system.

An example of exploiting this vulnerability can be found in the code snippet below

// Exploit code for CVE-2023-7245
const { exec } = require('child_process');
exec('openvpn-connect --command', {
  env: {
    ...process.env,
    ELECTRON_RUN_AS_NODE: 1
  }
}, (error, stdout, stderr) => {
  if (error) {
    console.error(exec error: ${error});
    return;
  }
  console.log(stdout: ${stdout});
  console.error(stderr: ${stderr});
});

In this exploit, the exec function from the 'child_process' module in Node.js is used to execute the 'openvpn-connect' command. The environment variable 'ELECTRON_RUN_AS_NODE' is set to '1', which triggers the vulnerability, allowing arbitrary code execution within the Node.js process context.

Original References

1. CVE-2023-7245
2. OpenVPN Connect Security Advisory

Exploit Details

To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker needs local access to the target system running a vulnerable version of OpenVPN Connect. Once the attacker has access, they can set the 'ELECTRON_RUN_AS_NODE' environment variable to '1' and execute arbitrary code using the 'openvpn-connect' command, as shown in the code snippet above. Successful exploitation can lead to unauthorized permissions and potentially compromise the user's system.

Mitigation

Users are recommended to update their OpenVPN Connect clients to the latest version available from the official website. The latest version contains a fix for this security issue, and regular updates are critical to ensure your system remains secure. Additionally, users should follow best practices for securing their systems, including running software with the least privileges necessary and being cautious about granting local access to untrusted users.

Conclusion

CVE-2023-7245 is a critical vulnerability in OpenVPN Connect due to the misconfiguration of the Node.js framework, which allows local arbitrary code execution. A local attacker can exploit this vulnerability to gain unauthorized permissions and potentially compromise the user's system. By updating to the latest version of OpenVPN Connect and following best security practices, users can mitigate the risks associated with this vulnerability and protect their systems.

Timeline

Published on: 02/20/2024 11:15:07 UTC
Last modified on: 08/14/2024 15:35:03 UTC